Original Post - 12 Jun 2022
The English book "HINGHWA: The History and Stories of the Hinghwa People," published by the Singapore Puxian (Hinghwa) Network, was written by Dr. Wang Shunlong. The book collects over 10 years of research by Dr. Wang, providing an in-depth introduction to the history, culture, and immigration stories of the Hinghwa people.
Fang Zhizhong: As long as we can unite the Hinghwa people, any language is acceptable.
Established in 2019, the Singapore Puxian (Hinghwa) Network aims to connect new and old immigrant compatriots with native-born Hinghwa people. President Fang Zhizhong explains why a Chinese community organization is willing to spend so much resources and effort publishing an English book.
He said, "As long as it can unite the Hinghwa people and inherit the traditional culture of the Hinghwa people, we are willing to do it in any language and manner. Many of the second or third generation native-born Hinghwa people here are not proficient in the Hinghwa dialect anymore; most are more familiar with English. Before we published 'The Hinghwa People,' there were no English books introducing Hinghwa culture locally."
"HINGHWA: The History and Stories of the Hinghwa People" vividly introduces the history and culture of the Hinghwa people, as well as the stories of ancestors who immigrated to Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, and other places over the past 100 years, flourishing in South East Asia.
Author Wang Shunlong: Ancestors achieved outstanding success; young Hinghwa people should feel proud
Dr. Wang Shunlong (68 years old) dropped out of school in secondary two. It took him a long time to obtain a doctoral degree in education at the age of 53. He embarked on the book project with the Singapore Puxian (Hinghwa) Network last year.
In an interview with Lianhe Zaobao, he said, "I hope this book can help younger generations and people of other ethnicities understand the Hinghwa community. Our ancestors were not just rickshaw pullers or trishaw riders; many also achieved outstanding success in politics, business, science, and the arts. Young Hinghwa people should feel proud of our heritage."
Minister for Culture, Community and Youth and Second Minister for Law, Edwin Tong, said in his speech, "Cultural heritage, history, and cuisine are all part of Hinghwa culture and should be preserved because they embody the true uniqueness of the Singaporean Chinese. Singaporean Chinese culture has been deepening and evolving, continuing to become our unique Singaporean identity through exchanges with different communities and cultures."